Making the Most Out of How You Are Taught

1
Chapter 4

• Making the Most Out of How You Are Taught

2
Chapter Overview

• Early course preparation
• Preparing for lectures
• During your lectures
• Making effective use of your professors
• Utilizing tutors and other academic resources

3
Early Course Preparation

• Start of a course can be likened to the start of
  a race
• Using the course syllabus
• Acquiring textbooks and other materials

4
Preparing for Lectures

• Review notes, read text, attempt problems,
  formulate questions
• Little like warming up for a physical workout
• Makes lectures a reinforcement rather than an
  initial exposure
• Small effort can have a big payoff

5
During Your Lectures

• Sit near the front
• Be here now (concentrate)
• Practice good listening skills
• Take good notes
• Ask questions in class

6
Characteristics of a Good Listener

• Works at finding value in all topics. Listens to
  discover new knowledge.
• Judges value of the content rather than the
  delivery.
• Listens for central themes. Uses them as anchor
  points for the entire lecture.
• Works hard at listening remains alert.
• Focuses on understanding completely rather than
  coming up with opposing views.

7
Characteristics of a Good Listener (continued)

• Fights distractions ignores bad habits of other
  students knows how to concentrate.
• Welcomes difficult material as exercise for the
  mind.
• Does not get hung up on emotionally charged words
  or ideas listens with an open mind.
• Uses extra time to think more deeply about what
  the lecturer is saying summarizes what has been
  covered.

8
Note-Taking

• Good notes give you a record of whats important
• Spiral notebook vs. three-ring binder
• Cornell Note-Taking System

9
Asking Questions in Class

• Memory level questions
• Convergent thinking questions
• Divergent thinking questions
• Evaluation thinking questions

10
Making Effective Use of Your Professors

• Important roles your professors can play
• Characteristics of your professors you can count
  on
• Behaviors to avoid
• Winning behaviors

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Important Roles for Your Professors

• One-on-one instruction
• Academic advising, career guidance, personal
  advice
• Monitor your progress hold you accountable
• Give you the benefit of the doubt on borderline
  grades
• Help you find a summer job
• Hire you on their research grant
• Serve as a reference
• Nominate you for scholarships or academic awards

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Characteristics of Your Professors

• Believe their areas of technical specialty are
  important and interesting
• Chose an academic career over professional
  practice believe they are outstanding teachers
• Are very knowledgeable, and love to convey what
  they know to others

13
Behaviors to Avoid/Winning Behaviors

• Brainstorming Exercise
• What are behaviors that conflict with these three
  characteristics of professors?
• What are behaviors that support these three
  characteristics of professors?

14
Understanding What Your Professors Do

• Teaching
• Research
• Service

15
Utilizing Campus Academic Resources

• Academic resource center (tutoring, writing
  skills, study skills)
• Library (books, periodicals, on-line materials,
  reference librarians)
• Student computer labs (hardware, applications
  software, Internet access, resource materials,
  training)
• Academic advising (monitor progress course
  selection)
• University catalog (Rules and regulations,
  college and department information, curricular
  requirements, course descriptions)
• Registrars office (transcripts, registration
  information)

16
Group Discussion TopicMaking Effective Use of
Your Professors

• In your group, develop a list of questions you
  could ask one of your professors about
  himself/herself when visiting during office
  hours. Be creative!

Appoint a leader to keep the discussion on topic
and a recorder to write down and report what was
learned.